Margaret Dempster

Margaret Dempster is a Professor of Instruction in French and Director of the French Language Program at Northwestern University. She holds a Ph.D. in French from Indiana University, an M.A. in French literature from the University of Illinois, and a B.S. in French and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Her research interests include 18th- and 20th-century French literature, feminist literary analysis, autobiography studies, and professional French for business contexts. She has taught in France at institutions such as Lycée Charlemagne and Université de Pau, and worked as an interpreter and culinary aide at Paris's Ecole de Gastronomie Française.

Currently, she oversees French language instruction at Northwestern, teaches foundational courses (100-200 levels) and French 309 (French for Business Professions), and mentors graduate teaching assistants and peer tutors. She has been a CLI Co-Chair (2009-2011) and Study Abroad committee co-chair, advising study abroad programs from 2004-2021. As an ISRC faculty fellow since 2003, she served as ISRC Master (2008-2012) and currently holds Associate Chair roles.

Her professional service includes two years as Advertising Manager for the French Review (AATF's journal). She co-sponsors weekly Table française lunches at Allison Dining Hall with Aude Raymond and Katia Viot-Southard.